The majestic figure of the monarch is suddenly in demand - thanks to the celebrations of Queen Elizabeth's Golden Jubilee.

The surge of interest in royalty has sparked a demand led by fans of Eastenders for a bust of Queen Victoria similar to the one which sits on the bar of the pub in the BBC soap.

Now copies are being produced in the heart of Coronation Street land by Fine Castings of Newton Heath which specialises in ornate plaster work and figures and supplies props for TV dramas and film sets.

Many of the busts are being exported to countries such as the USA, South Korea and Ireland.

"There is definitely renewed interest in royalty this Jubilee year, far more than there was for the Silver Jubilee," said managing director Shane O'Brien.

Popularity

"The popularity of Eastenders has also bumped up the order book. We had so many requests for a bust of Queen Victoria from fans of the programme that we had to respond.

"The bust is seen in practically every episode standing proudly on the bar. It's not surprising that many people want one for their own home," he said.

The firm makes a wide range of statues and figures from thumb-sized Italian composers to life-size hunter figures.

And with this Jubilee coinciding with the Queen opening the Commonwealth Games in Manchester, the company is now considering producing a bust of Her Majesty.

"We are in talks with a sculptor, but it does take quite a long time from commissioning to finishing a piece," added Shane.

"The statues are becoming a larger part of our business, but the whole process is actually quite nerve-wracking.

"We spend weeks in the sculpting stage, then take a mould from the model. If something goes wrong, that's a lot of time wasted. We learn not to make too many mistakes."

The statues are also very popular among businesses. On the current wave of Jubilee patriotism, the firm has also just completed a defiant-looking Winston Churchill, with trade-mark cigar.

"He is popular with business executives looking for a touch of bulldog spirit in their boardrooms."